Firearm



Jan. 2, 1940.. F. J. ROUTLEDGE 2,185,523

FIREARM Filed April 12, 1937 Patented Jan. 2, 1940 4 Claims.

This invention relates to training equipment for skill in marksmanship.

This invention has utility when incorporated in courses, firing, targets, and projecting equipment therefor.

Fig, 5 is a pattern of shot spread under the control herein; and

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a type of shell as used herein, preferably smaller than .5 in its internal bore or say .22 caliber.

Course I may hereunder be indoors,- say of 40 foot width and foot length in thereby providing a range .or course for miniature trap shooting or skeet game. In such set-up there may be adopted the firing line 2, behind which may stand the player to hold firearm 3. Along this course there is shield 4 protecting one on the side thereof remote from the firing line 2 from the shot, where there may be placing of targets 5 in seats 6 of projector 7, adapted to fire or throw in a region between lines of direction 8 and 9 into field l0, herein shown as carrying therebelow a net II to entrain or save any targets 5 which may not be destroyed by the marksman.

In this apparatus, the firearm 3 is shown having stock l2, guard 13 for trigger l4, loading and ejecting devices NS for barrel [6 having internal diameter I! in which snugly fits shell I8. Beyond this section it there is barrel section l9 approximately twice the internal diameter of the barrel section [7. The length of the shell i8 is approximately one inch and that of the bore l1 approximately 12 inches. The bore length of the section i9 is approximately 18 inches. The section l9 locates sight 20. Accordingly, this is a shotgun which, if of smooth bore throughout of dimension I1, would at a position say 10 yards from the firing line 2 show pattern 21 for shot spread. However, with the control section l9 of this firearm the shot of the charge of this shell l8, which normally may comprise DuPont oval powder and charge of #12 shot, will show pattern 22. This controls the spread to such extent that the targets 5 in this range H] as impinged by the shot are shattered. For such a set-up the target 5, has dimensions of approximately 2% inch diameter and inch depth, with degree of frangibility to respond-to this shot just before the spent throw of such shot.

The projector i is herein mounted on a side of 5 the shield 4 away from the firing line 2. A markse man may pull line 32 to set the projector in position for throwing. It is now in order, as the target 5 has been placed, to pull the line 39. This may be effected from the firing line 2 and effect '10 throwing of the target 5 in a controllable range toward the net I i as well as upward in this range 'of say twenty-five yards from the firing line 2.

In practice, this shield '3 may be about 5 yards from the firing line. The projected targets which 15 are impinged are shattered, but targets which are not struck may be received in the net H and reclaimed for subsequent projection. These targets, due to the short range, which in practice may be indoors, adopt a departure from the nor- 20 mal clay pigeon in the slight specific gravity and degree of response to the fracture or shattering. The disclosure herein is adaptable to a small gage shotgun. However, the achievement herein which is of importance in that on a moving 25 target or with a moving target the marksman has, under the type of firearm herein disclosed, a feel or balance for effective range operation. The experience herein as to the control is favorably comparable with a smooth bore, common diam- 3o eter shell type of gun wherein the shell diameter is that throughout the barrel. With such a gun having a charge .of 120 shot, 25 per cent are within a 6 inch range at 33 feet. With the firearm as herein adopted with the scatter control of the 35 larger diameter barrel section, this has meant with the same type of cartridge, shot and powder at a 33 foot range, 85 per cent of the hits being within the 6 inch circle. This means that, with the type of target as herein disclosed, there is 40 sufilcient efiectiveness'for shattering targets.

Targets sufficiently fragile for use with this apparatus are made with as low an amount of filler as 10 per cent, and such range has been increased without serious detraction up to 20 or 30 per cent in those instances wherein the binder is a petroleum pitch of to 275. This filler may be clay or ash or other fine powder and operate satisfactorily in the range for the shattering in the marksmanship operations hereunder. 50

In this range with this control for the scatter, of course, the skill of the marksman is necessarily greater in the pick up, say within 20 to 25 feet of the gun, assuming the shield and projector are say 12 and 15 feet in advance. The efiectiveness 55 of the charge upon a target may extend into 55 to 65 yards before too far spent to effect shattering hereunder.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is: r

1. A gun adapted for miniature skeet including a barrel consisting of a smooth bore section of approximately .22 inches bore and another section of at least 25% increase in bore throughout its length, the proportionate lengths of said sections being in the ratio of 2 to 3 respectively.

2. A gun adapted for miniature skeet shooting including a barrel bored to accommodate a shot cartridge, said bore being approximately .22 inches for a portion of its length adjacent the breech and the remaining portion being bored at least 25% larger, to control the pattern ofthe shot, the proportionate lengths of said portions being in the ratio of approximately 2 to 3 respectively.

3. A gun adapted for miniature skeet shooting including a barrel bored to accommodate a shot cartridge, said bore being approximately .22 inches for a portion of its length adjacent the breech as the minor bore section thereof, and the remaining portion being as much as twice the diameter of the minor bore section throughout its length, to control the pattern for reduced scatter of the shot, the length of the minor bore section being approximately in the. range of one-. quarter to one-half the length of the barrel.

4. A small bore gun adapted for miniature skeet shooting including a barrel bored to accommodate a shot cartridge, said barrel being of a small bore for a portion of its length adjacent the breech and the remaining portion being at least 25% larger, to control the pattern for reduced scatter of the shot, thelength of the minor bore section being approximately in the range of one-quarter to one-half the length of the barrel.

FREDERICK J. ROUTLEDGE.,, 

